Exercising machine



c. L. DuFF l,783,376 'EXERCIING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1929 Patented Dec. 2, 1930 [UNITEDVSTATS PAT-ENr OFFICE cHAnLEsL. ;DurrJ` or ooLUivrBUs, 01:10-

: EXERCISING MACHINE 1 :apple. zeipn ine February 2, 1929. sefiaibno. 836,988.

The v present invjention relatesto certain new andj useful improvements in'exercising` machines of the 'class' com'prising a `freely rotatablespool and al cord wound thereon,

5 the inertia of the spool` affording resistance Vto the unwinding; of the cord and acting autoi to provide in a machine' of the class described,

` improved means 'forfthe attachment of'the cord to the spool, whereby the shocks produced by the sudden rewinding o f the 'cord ge and which ordinarily,wouldbe,transmitted to the operato1','will be eliminated.

l t The 'means whereby I att'ain this object are fully set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing 25 ofwhich w ,7, Fig. 1 isa perspective Vview of the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrating the method of its use. v z

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, on an enlarged Scale, of the exercising machine illustrated in l. i

;Figx 3 is an end elevation of 'the device illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation with the cover plate removed revealing the anti friction n'iouuting of the spool.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line V-V of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5 showing a modification of the machine.

Like numerals refer to similar parts in the several figures.

As shown in the drawing the preferred emf bodiment of my invention consists of a spool l mounted for free rotation in'a supporting frame 2, and a cord 3 Wound upon the spool and adapted to be drawn out therefrom against the resistance of the inertia of the spool. The frame 2 comprises a base plate #13 adapted to be secured to the wall of a room.

lare secured byV thejclamping bolts 7.

I eliminated. 1

z or other'suitable support, and the brackets in which the anti-frictionjournal bearngs (J The spool 1 comprises the shaft 8 having journals at eachl end which engage the anti-friction bearings 6, and the flangesV 9 concentric with thev sha'ft and preferably formed integral therewith and of suflicent weight to provide the inertia necessary for the `satisfactory operation of the machine. Thecord 3 is attached to the shaft 8 midway between the fianges 9 and is bifurcated at 10 and provided with a handle at the end of each branch adapted to be grasped by the hand to pulll the 'cord from the spool. After the cord has been initially wound upon the spool tension there' on causesthe spool to revolve, its inertia affording desirable resistance to the drawing out of the cord and, when the cord has been entirely unwound,` automatically and ener-"' getcally rewinding it in the reverse direction. i

`In apparatus such as above described as heretofore constructed the cord '3 has been rigidly fixed to Vthe spool, coimnonly by lfieingf` the operator, producing an unpleasant shock which is injurious to the muscles of the' back and arms. In the apparatus here illustrated I have provided an improved method of Vattachment whereby such shocks are entirely 'As shown iniFig. Gthe shaft 8 is encircled by a noose 11 formed at the end of the cord 3 and this noose is surrounded by' a clampingl spring 12 the tension of which holds the cord 1n close engagement with the shaftrproducing 'a friction'clutch which yieldingly connects the cord vto, theshaft with suflicient force to cause vigorous rewinding of the cord when the spool is revolving but `with sufiicient yielding or sliprto eliminate the 0bjectionable shocksabove referred to; 'Along its edges pthe'spring 12 is provided With inward'ly: projecting clips 13 adapted to engage the edges of the cord to hold the 'spring in place-f To insure the cord attachment remaining at the middle of the space between the discs 9 and so being free to Wind on either side of the attaclnnent, I have reduced the diameter of the shaft 8 at 14 the surfaces blending into each other to avoid shoulders against which the cord 8 might be abraded.

rllhe cord 3 may be formed of any suitable material, but experience has demonstrated, that, because of its superior Wearing qualities, the most satisfactory results are obtained by the use of a leather Strap of approximetely square cross section. Since a noose may not be conveniently formed in such a strap, the loop 15 is formed of a short section of strap, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and both ends of this loop are joined to the end of the cord 8 by any suitable and convenient means as by the Wire links 16. The action of the leather strap is not different from a cord of other construction. ln the operation of the machine, the cord 3 is first wound on the spool 1 and the operator then pulls on thecord. Then the cord is unwound or paid out, the spool will continue to revolve in the same direction as long as the operator holds the cord in its extended position, but as soon as he slaclrens the pull, the cord will rewind or Wrap about the shaft 8 in the opposite direction from the way it Was unwound. Then the operator slaclrens the pull on the cord 3 preparatory to moving his arms in- Ward or toward the machine for the next stroke and two or three revolutions of the spool have been made, the friction of the clntch plus the friction between the Wrapped portion of the cord and the spindle cause the cord to Wind without any slippage, thereby pulling the handles of the cord toward the machine With a force that must be resisted by the operator to bring the spool or rotor 1 to a stop and reverse it for the next stroke. The positive force pnlling the handles toward the machine does not start until the operators hands have moved a short distance to- Wards the machine for the return strolte. Then a suficient number of turns have been made and the force caused by momentum of the spool 1 has been overcome by the operator, he again pulls the eord 3 outwardly and the direction of the rotation of the shaft 8 is reversed. This cycle may be repeated as often as desired. I

In the devices above described, l have provided an exercising machine wherein the resistance to movement necessary to the purposes of the machine is supplied by the inertia of a rotary member and which is free from the objectionable jerks and shocks found in other machines of the class.

lhat I claim is: i

1. An exercising machine of the class described having in combination a supporting frame, a rotatable spindle having its ends journalled in bearings formed in said frame, a relatively heavy member connected to said spindle adj acent each end thereof, a flexible member, and yieldable means connecting the fleXible member externally to the spindle, Whereby to eliminate the shock produced by the Sudden rewinding of the fleXible member on the spindle.

2. An exercising machine of the class described having in combination a supporting frame, a rotatable spindle having its ends journaled in bearings formed in said frame, a relatively heavymember connected to said spindle adjacent each end thereof, a. fiexible member having an end portion thereof embracing the spindle, and yieldable means engaging said end portion Whereby the shock produced by the Sudden rewinding of the fiexible member on the spindle is eliminated.

3. An exercising machine of the class described having in combination a supporting frame, a rotatable spindle having a reduced medial portion and at its ends journaled in bearings formed in said frame, a relatively heavy member connected to said spindle adjacent each end thereof, a fiexible member having an end portion thereof embracing the reduced portion of said spindle, and a resilient member engaging said end portion for forcing the latter into frictional engagement with the spindle, Whereby the shock produced by the Sudden rewinding of the fiexible member on the spindle is eliminated.

4. An exercising machine of the class described having in combination a supporting frame, a rotatable spindle having a reduced medial portion and at its ends journaled in bearings formed in said frame, a relatively heavymember connected to said spindle adjacent each end thereof, a flexible member, means embracing said spindle and connected to said flexible member for permitting movement of the spindle relative to the flexible member, and a substantially C-shaped spring engaging said means for forcing the latter into frictional engagement With the spindle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES L. DUFF. 

